Bracket for third suspension-hangers



(No Model.)

H. B. ROBISGHUNG. BRACKET FOR THIRD SUSPENSION HANGERS.

PaJtented May 19 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. ROBISCHUNG, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHICAGO RAILIVAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRACKET FOR THIRD SUSPENSION-HANGERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,430, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed February 12, 1896. Serial No. 579,065. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. ROBISCHUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MeansforAdjustably Suspending Brake-Beams; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of an adjustable bracket for the third suspensionhangers of brake-beams embodying my invention, together with a sectional view of so much of a truck and brake-beam as will serve to illustrate the application and operation of the device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the adjustable bracket and a portion of the channel-iron of the truck-bolster, the dotted lines indicating the suspension-arm elevated. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite side of the bracket. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the bracket. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the bracket on the line a; m, Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail-views showing the preferred form of the contacting or bearing surfaces of the two sections by the movement of which the adjustment is obtained, and Fig. 8 is a modified form for'the contacting or bearing surface of the movable parts.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of an adjustable bracket for third suspensionhangers of brake-beams, and has for its object to secure a simple and effective means for securing at all times a proper position of the beam.

As is well understood, brake-beams are commonly suspended from the truck or carbody, as the case may be, by main suspensionhangers, one at each end of the beam, and where the form demands it-as in the case of trussed brake-beams and like beams whose center of gravity is forward of the main hangersby a third suspension-hanger, the object of which is to maintain the beam at all times in a proper position. By the means or brackets in common use it is not only'difficult to secure the proper position of the beam, but exceedingly difficult to restore the beam to said position if displaced therefrom in service. To overcome these difficulties, I combine with the brake beam and its third suspensionhanger an adjustable bracket provided with a suspension-arm which can be set, readjusted, and secured by unskilled labor and without the use of special tools to position the beam in hanging the same and to restore the beam to its normal position when from any cause it is displaced while in service.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates the bolster of a car-truck, and B the channel-irons thereof, to which or to any other suitable portion of the truck or equivalent point of support the bracket may be secured.

C indicates a bracket embodying my invention, to one member of which the suspensionarm 0, commonly employed for the attachment of third suspension D, is rigidly secured by riveting or otherwise.

E indicates the compression or rear mem ber of a brake-beam, and F the strut, to the front or nose of which, in the present instance, the lower end of hanger D is secured, the upper end of said hanger being connected to suspension-arm c, (which, if desired, may be a stiff plate-spring,) as hereinbefore specified.

The bracket proper is composed of a plurality of members, the base member 1 having means for attaching it to its point of support, and a j oint-section 1, the inner face of which has a clutch device to engage coacting elements on the joint-section 2 of the movable member 2. The clutch devices may, if desired, be ratchet-rings on both of said sections,

as shown in Fig. 8, but are by preference an-- nular beveled rings or ribs 3 upon one and an annular counterpart recess 4 upon the other, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, the latter construction being given the preference because it forms a cone-clutch capable of fine adjustment of suspension-arm 0, whereas in the ratchet mechanism there'is lost motion which precludes the fine adjustment attainable by the friction or cone clutch. The j ointsections 1 2 are pierced centrally of the an nular ribs and recesses (or ratchet-rings, as

the case may be) for the passage of a threaded bolt 5, having a nut 6, which bolt thus forms the pivot of the joint as well as a means for clamping the members and securing them in a fixed position'after adjustment. Any suitable means may be employed for rigidly connecting the arm a with the movable member of the bracket; but that preferred by me is a slotted box 7 (see Fig. 5,) into which the end of the arm 0 may be inserted and secured by a bolt or rivet, as at 7.

The several parts having been constructed substantially as hereinbefore pointed out are combined in the manner indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5-that is to say, by applying the movable to the fixed member by means of the engaging joint-sections 1 2 and passing the pivot bolt 5 therethrough centrally-after which the movable section may be adjusted until the brake-beam occupies the desired position, when the nut 6 is set home to secure a rigid connection of the members of the bracket. Thereafter, if the beam from any cause is forced from said position, the nut 6 may be loosed and areadjustm ent of the memclutch after the adjustment, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of February, 1896.

HENRY B. ROBISCIIUNG.

\Vitnesses P. J. CUNNEEN, E. T. XVALKER. 

